I never really believed in Santa Claus. My parents never tried convincing me there was a fat old man that was going to try and scooch down my chimney to bring presents. There was that one christmas when I was probably five or six though…
We were celebrating christmas at my grandparents house with my twenty-something cousins, twelve aunts and uncles, the two boston terriers and one great-aunt. (No, my grandparents weren’t mormons–they were a medium-sized catholic family growing up in the fifties).
All at once, all the aunts and uncles sent the cousins upstairs because Santa was about to bring the christmas presents to the christmas tree downstairs. Santa Claus? In this very house? We sat on the couch choking back excited giggles while we listened to him down stairs. It. was. magical. We could hear everything–the bells jingling on the reindeer harness, the thump of the presents under the tree, and Santa himself shouting “Ho, Ho, Ho–Merry Christmas!”
As soon as it stopped all the other cousins ran to the window to see if they could see him leave. Apparently we were supposed to be looking for something called a rudolph with a bright red nose. From the top of magnolia hill in Seattle, we had a great view of the city and sure enough my cousins soon started yelling.
“I see Rudolph!”
“Really? Where?”
“I see him too!”
“Me too!–wait, thats just a car.”
“No, wait! There he is!…no, another car.”
That’s right. They all saw Rudolph’s nose while all I saw were red brake lights.
Violet is tentatively getting a brother in May, which means that playing house will be a lot more fun.
When you’re a little girl playing house with a bunch of other little girls; one of you inevitably has to play the dad–which, let’s face it is the most boring role in playing house. It’s like getting the short straw. However, when you have a brother–problem solved! They don’t even have to participate in the game to be included, which means that no little girl has to waste a perfectly good afternoon of playing house to be the dad.
I’m not going to lie. I’ve eaten dogfood before. What’s more–I’ve enjoyed my fair share. Several times when I was little, I remember visiting people’s houses where there was cat food. Cat food is even better. Plus, it’s smaller and crunches nicely, although that might be because we only ever had dog food growing up, so cat food was like a special treat. That sounded bad–we only ever bought dog food for the dog and cat, never cat food. I think the only reason I finally kicked the habit was after my mom convinced us that the occasional hairs we would find were rat hairs, and that they put cooked up rats in dog food so dogs would like it better.
Today while I sat on the couch, Violet sat with me and kissed all over my arm. I had just gotten her some new toys.
December marks the last month of the year, which means we’ve now finished our cheese-of-the-month year. It’s the one resolution we’ve kept in it’s entirety.
Two favorite brands? Yancey\’s Fancy and Kerrygold. Excellent cheese. Excellent. Both brands are available at Costco and Haggen. This holiday season, start the day off right by pairing Yancey’s buttery, triple-cream Bergenost with apple slices, or use Kerrygold’s Blarney Castle in your homemade cheeseball in place of the swiss. They aren’t even paying me to say this–that’s how good it is.
“We saw our baby’s’ phalanges, and it’s a boy!” –AJ
To be fair, we did see our baby’s phalanges (finger bones) today, and it is also a boy. Keep in mind that we were scrutinizing an area no bigger than my thumbnail, through a cross-section, in a snowstorm. It was kinda hard to miss though.
The other day, I was driving past a sportsclub and they had written a holiday joke or riddle (i’m not sure which) on their sign.
Santa eats Ho Ho’s. Think about it
Here’s the problem, I’m not sure if it’s so simple that I’m not getting it because I hope it’s more complex than Santa say’s “Ho Ho Ho” because he eats so many Ho Ho’s, or if it really is deeper than that and if I think about it long and hard I will suddenly get the brilliance of the joke (or riddle). I think it’s especially cruel to tell someone a joke (or riddle) and finish by saying “think about it” as if to say that their first reaction is going to be wrong so they should second-guess themselves on a one-dimensional joke.
Last but not least, remember back last spring about the whole scandal with the governor of New York, Elliot Spitzer and his call girl? Major kudos are in order for anyone that can maximize their fifteen minutes of fame as well as Ashley Dupre has. Apparently, she was just given an advice column with the New York Post on love and relationships. No, I’m not kidding. It’s nice to see that we’re finally finding reputable sources for advice. Anything to save a failing newspaper industry, right?
There are a few things I always make around Christmas. One of them is homemade gingersnaps. but obviously they’re homemade…because I make them around Christmas…in my home.
Gingersnaps
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup soft butter or shortening. (butter tastes better and they turn out the same)
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1/4ish cup granulated sugar.
Mix the egg, butter, brown sugar, and molasses till blended with an electric mixer. Add half the flour and the rest of the ingredients except the granulated sugar and mix well. Add the rest of the floor and combine. Don’t you love all the different ways to describe a mixing action? combine…blend, beat, stir…i love it. The dough will be fairly stiff so you might have to finish stirring with a spoon.
Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or till edges are set and the tops crackle. Cool on a wire rack. If you take them out as soon as the tops crackle, they will be chewy, but the longer you wait the “snappier” the gingersnaps get…that is, until they burn.
Next up, I am actually including pictures from last night like I said I would. wow.
This is Violet eating her first LOC doughnut goodness.
These two don’t look very sure of eachother.
obviously it’s pretty blurry, but my battery was almost dead so I couldn’t retake. Either way, its pretty precious to see a little girl waving at a goat. Yes, it’s a goat. Don’t make me go all farm-nerd on you and explain why.
We went to the Lights of Christmas tonight. We nearly froze, but were sustained by fresh doughnuts and peppermint mochas. Sounds like christmas in one delicious bite.
I’ll post some pictures tomorrow but right now my camera is charging. Hopefully we can go back before the season is over so we can actually operate the camera without shaking from the cold. Violet LOVED the petting farm and the horses at the pony rides, but she bailed off the horse halfway though into AJ’s arms when she decided riding giant beasts was for crazy people. We did get some totally cute pictures with Santa, which is better than last year when the santa looked like he was the Grinch recovering from a stroke.
I’ve decided to blog today about scandalous Christmas music. You heard right–just because you think it’s innocent, doesn’t mean the words aren’t actually scandalous. Speaking of “scandalous”, I really like using this word.
So what’s scandalous?
How about Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Dean Martin. Don’t believe me? Here are the words. (The song is actually quite long, so I’ve made the most scandalous parts bold.) (In case you haven’t head this song in a while, the song is sung by a man and a woman with the mans’ words in parenthesis.)
I really can’t stay
(but baby it’s cold outside)
I’ve got to go away
(but baby it’s cold outside)
This evening has been
(been hoping that you’d drop in)
So very nice
(i’ll hold your hands, they’re just like ice)
My mother will start worry
(beautiful whats your hurry)
My father will be pacing the floor
(listen to the fireplace roar)
So really i’d better scurry
(beautiful please don’t hurry) but maybe just a half a drink more
(put some records on while i pour)
the neighbors might faint
(baby it’s bad out there)
say what’s in this drink
(no cabs to be had out there)
i wish i knew how
(your eyes are like starlight now)
to break this spell
(i’ll take your hat, your hair looks swell) i ought to say “no, no, no sir”
(mind if i move in closer)
at least i’m gonna say that i tried
(what’s the sense in hurtin’ my pride)
i really can’t stay
(oh baby don’t hold out)
both:baby it’s cold out side
i simply must go
(but baby it’s cold outside)
the answer is no
(but baby it’s cold outside)
your welcome has been
(how lucky that you droped in)
so nice and warm
(look out the window at that storm) my sister will be suspicious
(gosh your lips look delcious)
my brother will be there at the door
(waves upon the tropical shore)
my maiden aunts mind is vicious (gosh your lips are delicous)
but maybe just a cigarette more
(never such a blizzard before)
i’ve gotta get home
(but baby you’d freeze out there)
say lend me a coat
(it’s up to your knees out there)
you’ve really been grand (i thrill when you touch my hand)
but don’t you see?
(how can you do this thing to me?)
there’s bound to be talk tomorrow
(think of my lifelong sorrow)
at least there will be plenty implied
(if you got pneumonia and died)
i really can’t stay
(get over that old out)
both:baby it’s cold
baby it’s cold outside
Okay, so I didn’t actually have anything to blog about.
